Electrical switching device.



UNITED s ATENT hllll;

ARTHUR 0. DADY OF NEW YORK, l". Y., ASSGNR., BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO PFANSTIEHL COMPANY, ENC., F NORTH CHICAGG, ELLINOIS, A CORPRATION 0F NEW YORK.

y Speeicaton of Letters Patent.

Fatented Apr. 2, 1918.v

Application filed April 12, 1916. Serial No. 90,633.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Daar, a citizen of the United States, residing at llew York, inthe county of New York and State .of New York, have invented certain new and netic circuit of a self interrupting electromagnet is so proportioned that its inductance is not materially changed by the movement of the Varmature which is controlled by the electromagnet and which interrupts the electrical circuit. Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of certain novel features of construction which go to make the device generally more eflicient, compact and accessible for repairs. Economy and elhciency in manufacture has been borne largely in mind in the production of the specific embodimentof my invention shown in the accompanying drawings and fully described in the following detailed specifica-l tion.

In the accompanying blue prints l Figure 1 illustrates a vertical sectional view of the device of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of vthe detent mechar nism and switch arm illustrated in llig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed view of the cam for operating the armature of the vibrator, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrainrnatical view illustrating the electrical circuit employed with the device.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. Referring first to Fig. 1, 5 illustrates a cup shaped casing, within which the entire switching device, vibrator condenser, ete.7 are located. The casing is provided with a flange 6 containing apertures 7 Vfurthe reception of screws to facilitate securing the casing to. the automobile at a point easily accessible to the operator.` rlhe open or lower end of the casing 5 is clesedbva 8 preferably lconstructed of insul tufainat'e rial such as haben, vedi'Thscoverisltrrldin i.

place bythe screws Yillustrated at 9 and carries the vibrator 1 0-held in place by the screws 11. Carried by the cover 8 and extending inwardly therefrom is a pair of rods 12 iixed to the wall 13. rlhis wall, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, is disposed midway between the cover S and the base of the casing, I so that a chamber 1Lais provided for the detent mechanism presently to be described. il. condenser 15 may be conveniently positioned adjacent the vibrator between the cover 8 and the wall 13.

`ilournaled in the wall 13 and the base of 'the casing 5 is a rotatable member 1.6, which is bored at 17 to receive a shank 1S of the manually controlled finger piece 18. The shank 18 carries the wings 19--19 arranged to #fit into corresponding slots provided in the member 16, so that angular connection can be secured between the finger piece and the rotatable member. The casing is provided with slots arranged when the wings 19 are moved to a certain position to register therewith, so that the finger piece may be. removed from the casing. Extending outwardly from the member 16 is an arm 20 provided with an aperture 2l arranged to receive the detent ball 2Q. A spring member 28 is secured to the arm 20 and rests upon the upper edge of the ball to force the same downwardly as illustrated. Carried by the wall 13 is a plate 2/1 provided with three depressions 25, as illustrated in Fig. 2, arranged when the arm 20 is moved to any one of three angular positions to receive the ball 22 and thus hold. the rotatable member 16 against accidental angular displacement. Carried also by the rotatable member and spaced substantially 180o from the arm 2O is a cam extension 26 adapted to cooperate withl a plunger 27 extending through an aperture 28 in the wall 13. The plunger is held in position against the cani 26 by means of the spring 29 secured to the upper face of the wall 13. This wall 13 is preferably constructed of insulating material as is also the lower end of the plunger 27, as shown in Fig. l.

The vibrator consists of a laminated core 30 around a portion of which a coil 3i is mounted. rlhe opposite poles of the core eX- tend upwardly and terminate in pole pieces 32 and 3S, the distance of these pole pieces ilon'n.' .oneganother being carefully determined nyffexperiment. .d plug of insulating material is carried by the core-and serves to support the stationary but adjustable arm 34, which carries one or the contacts 35. The armature 36 carries the other contact '37 and is Xed to the core30 of the vibrator by means of a screw as illustrated, the point of attachment of the armature being near the neutral magnetic Zone of the electromagnet. The armature itself is mounted a substantial distance away from the pole pieces 32and 33, and is mounted on a comparatively stift spring which permits of only slight movement of the armature, that is, the armature in making and breaking the magnetic circuit of the` coil moves only through ti 'o or three thousandths of au inch and does not materially change the magnetic circuit of the electromagnet. This has been found to be of. great importance since an armature which moves sufficiently to decrease the reluctance of the magnetic cir-l cuit of the coil acts in its movement to prevent the rapid dying out of magnetism in the coil just at the time Whenit is desirable that the magnetism should die out most rapidly. For this reason the armature and magnetic circuit are so proportioned and tion ot' the coil will pass from pole to pole without threading the armature. This construction, as pointed out, results in there being only a slight change in the magnetic reluctance of the circuit brought about by the slight movement of the armature in interrupting the circuit of the electromagnet.

The adjusting screw for the stationary arm 34 is accessible through an aperture in the stationary arm and through a registering aperture in the wall 13. The stationary arm 34 is made of spring material, so that it rests against the adjusting screw 33 at all times. This adjusting screw is threaded through a sleeve carried by 'the wall 13 and serves when it is moved up or down through the wall to adjust the stationary arm 34. The spring 39 may be employed to act as a lock to prevent accidental turning of the adjusting screw. Positioned directly above the adjusting screw is a plug 40 extending entirely through the base ot the easing. By removing this plug a tool may be inserted to effect the necessary adjustment of the stationary Contact 35.`

The lower insulated end of the plunger l27 extends through an aperture in the arm 34 and is arranged when operated by the cam 26 to engage the armature 36 and sepayxeuvaa rate the contacts 35 and 37. When. the rota-,table member 16 is in the position illustrated. in Fig. 2, or in other words in the central one of its three positions the plunger 27 is held by means of the springr 29 in the position illustrated in Figs. `1 and 3. AWhen, however', the rotatable member is moved to either one of the other two positions, the

cam 26 forces the plunger 27 downwardly and thereby separates the 'contacts 35 and 37 and holds them separated as long as the rotatable member is held -in this position.

One of the supporting rods 12 is grounded by means of the conductor strip 42 to-the rotatable member 16. The other support-- ing rod 12 carries a .spring` brush 43 arranged when the arm 20 is moved to the depression 25 indicatedfat a to provide an electrical connection between its rod 12 and the arm 20.

I shall now describe the circuit employed .in connection with the switching device.

The magneto is shown at 44 and comprises the magnet 50 between the poles of which are mounted the pole pieces and 52. The rotor is shown at 53, rotatably mounted between the pole pieces. The rotor is provided with a primary winding 54 and a secondary winding 55, both of which are connected to the conductor 46 through the conductor 45. The opposite end of thesecondary winding is connected with a bsh 56 arranged to engage either one ot' the four contacts Yshown at 57, which lead to the engine spark plugs in the usual way. This brush is driven from the rotor 'shaft by. the gearing shown in dotted lines. The end of the primary winding opposite its connection with the secondary winding is grounded as shown at 58. The opposite end of the primary winding is arranged to be grounded at 59 by the inter;

rupter shown at 60. This interrupter is of the usual type and is operated in unison with the magneto rotor. The armature 36 of the vibrator is connected with the conductor 45 as shown, and is also connected through the conductor 46 with the brush 43.

.The stationary electrode 35 is connected with one end of the coil 31 and the other end of the coil with the battery 47, having its opposite terminal grounded. The condenser 4 spans the stationaryv and movable electrodes and 37.

W'hen it is vdesired to start the internal combustion engine or cause the battery 4T to furnish the current to the spark plugs of the engine, the rotatable member 1G is moved to the 5 position illustrated in Fig. 4. The armature' 3G is then allowed to vibrate in accordance with the impulses .of current sent through the coil 3l. lVhen the switch is in this position. therefore, the circuit can be traced from the batter)r throughthe coil 31, through the contacts and 37, through the primary winding 54 and thence the vibrator to prevent op through ground back to the battery. When the contacts 85 and 37 are separated by the coil 3l the circuit includes the condenser 4:8. After the engine has been started thc-rotatable member 16 is moved to the c position, whereupon the plunger 27 is moved downwardly and the contacts 35 and 87 permanently separated and the current from the magneto 44 employed. n stopping the engine the member 1G is moved to the a position, whereupon the primary `winding is .permanently grounded.

The inner end of the finger piece 18 carries a pointer or indicator 49 arranged to point at certain indicia provided on the casingl 5. The indicia merely serve to indicate to the 'operator the position to which the switch is set and may consist in the words Gif, Start and Run, pla-ced respectively in alinement with the depressions a, b and c.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent of the United States is:

LA switching device comprising a cup shaped casing, a cover therefor, a wall disvposed within the casing between the cover and the base of the cup, a vibrator located between the wall and the cover, devices for rendering the vibrator operative or inoperative as desired, manually controlled means for operating said devices and detent mecha nism disposed between the wall and the base of the cup for said devices.

2. A switching device. comprising a cup shaped casing, a cover therefon. a wall carried by the cover and disposed within the casing between the cover and the base of the cup, avibrator and condenser located between the wall and the cover, devices for rendering the vibrator.I operative or inopera4 tive as desired, manually controlled means for operating said'devices, and detent mechanism disposed between the wail and the base of the cup for said devices.

. 3. A device of the class described comprising a casing having two comiiartments, one compartment containing a vibrator d the other compartment containing devices for controlling the operation of the vibrator, and manually operable means extending 'lirough the casing for operating said devices.

e. Switching mechanism of the class described comprising a cup shaped casing, a cover for the open end thereof., a vibrator within the casing carried by the cover and having itsarmature lying in a plane substantially parallel to the cover, a wall disposed between the vibrator and the base of the cup.y a rotatable member journaled in .the wall and cup base, detentmechanism connected therewith, and in ans ending through ythe wall and operiM e by t e rotatable member for l.holding t e rmature of tion thereof,

5. A devise of the class described comprising a casing, a cover therefor, a vibrator supported from the inner side of the cover, a wall carried by the cover and disposed between the vibrator and the base of the casing, a rotatable element journaled in the wall and base of the casing, detent mechanism for the rotatable element located between the wall and the base of the casina., a cam carried by the rotatable element, a plunger extending through the wall and operated by the cam for'engaging and rende ing inoperative the armature of the vibrator, and spring means for holding' the plunger against the cam face.

6. A device of the class described comprising a cup shaped casing, a cover therefor. a vibrator carried from the inner side of thecover, a wall disposed between. the vibrator and the cup base, a rotatable element journaled in the wall and the cup base, a detent arm carried by the rotatable element, said wall beingprovided with a plurality of depressions, spring means carried by the arm arranged to iit into the depressions for holding the arm in the position to which it is moved, a cam carried by the rotatable element, and a plunger extending through the wall and operated by the cam for engaging and rendering 'inoperative the armature of the vibrator. y

7. An internal combustion engine ignition system and switching device therefor, comprising a battery,l a magneto primary winding and a vibrator arranged in series, a condenser spanning the movable and stationary electrodes of the vibrator, a switch member arranged to assume three different posi tions, means operable by the switch member for separating the vibrator electrodes when the member assumes either one of two of the three positions, distributor mechanism in circuit with' the battery and magneto, and means whereby a short circuit is produced around the distributer mechanism when the switch member is moved to one of the two positions .aforesaid 8. An electromagnetic interrupter for ignition circuits comprising a core, the pole pieces of which are carried in proximity. with one another and the armature at all times spaced from said pole pieces, controlling contacts in the circuit of the electromagnet, a magneto having a primary circuit and local interrupter therefor connected in parallel,`and connected in series with said coil and its vbratory interrupter and a battery included in said series circuit. i

9. An ignition apparatus comprising. a high tension magneto with primary secondary windings on its armature, a circuit breaker associated with the armature of the magneto and adapted to make and break the primary' circuit of the magneto in the rotation of the armature, a vibrator having W* circuit of said magnet, zu battery a, Condenser and swichng mechanism fm connecting said battery and the Coil and vibator aontacts of said ectromaguetc vibrator in za sere's Circuit With the circuit# breaker and @mature circuit of sadmagneto, the crclt beaker and armature Cirl0 cui: being arranged in parallel n witness Mreof, he'euni@ subscribe my nume this sixth day of Apri?, A. D. 

